Footwear heel fastener



Dec. l0, 1940. J. FARINA l 2,224,476

FOOTWEAR HEEL FASTENER Filed Feb. 12, 1940 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFlCt'Lv 2,224,476 i FoofrWEAn HEEL FAST'ENER JuliusFarina, springfield, Mass. Appucauuu February 12, 1940, serial No.318,622

4 Claims.

vThe invention relates to footwear heel fasteners and more particularlyto refinements to the subject matter of United States Letters Patent.No..2,140,422, issued December 13, 1938.

The. primary object of the invention is the provision of a device orfastener of this character wherein the heel to a shoe can beconveniently and easily fastened and in the fastening thereof it may be`adjusted with respect to the heel portion of the sole of said shoe foreiecting the final securing thereof in its proper place, the device orfastener constituting the present invention is a refinement over thesubject matter of United States Letters Patent No. 2,140,422 issuedDecember 13, 1938.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a vdevice orfastener of this character wherein the screw for securing the heel of ashoe in place is protected in that the material from which the heel ismade, as it ispreferable to have the heel constructed from composite,plastic material and molded, will not make contact with the-said screwor in any manner interfere therewith when used for the securing of theheel to the shoe sole at its heel end, thus allowing the convenientsecuring of the heel in place'.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a. device orfastener of this character wherein there is involved a screw and a nut,these being intertted for the coupling or securing of the heel to a shoeat the heel end of the latter and allowing for the easy removal of theheel should it become damaged or unrlt for service or use so that asubstitute heel can replace the same without requiring the possessor ofthe shoe seeking a cobbler or other articer for the replacement of thediscarded heel in that an ordinary screw driver is the only toolrequired for the fastening or detachment of the heel when the occasiondemands. n

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device orfastener of this character, which is simple in its construction,rthoroughly reliable Vand efficient in operation, easy of manipulation,enabling the substitution of one heel for another and the application toa shoe sole, the' proper adjustment thereof for the required location ofsuch heel on finally securing the same to the shoe and economical inmanufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of theinvention and pointed. out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional viewthroughthe heel area of a shoe and a heel therefor showing the fastener or de-Vice constructed in accordance with the inventionsecuring the heel tothe shoe.

Figure 2 is .a perspective view of an adjunct of thedevice or fastener.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof partly broken away. n

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the nut companion to the screw of thedevice or fastener.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a cap for association with the screw.

Figure 6 is a top plan View of the head of the screw. l Y

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view throughthe screw.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

.Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally the heelportion of a shoe, which, as usual,l comprises an outsole II), an insoleII and a heel, a portion of the latter being indicated at I2,respectively. This heel I2 is adapted for detachable fastening to theouter face o-f the outsole I0 by the device or fastener constituting thepresent invention and hereinafter fully described.

The device or fastener comprises a screw I3 having a head I4 of partialspherical formation for loose engagement and seating in a central socketI5 therefor of a cap IIS. The socket l5 is created in the cap I6 by acentral outstruck apertured portion Il thereof. The cap I5 iscountersunk in the insole II at the proper location and also the portionI'I is partially countersunk in the outsole IU while` the screw I3 hasits threaded shank passed through suitable clearances therefor, as atI8, one being provided at the countersink for the portion Il in theinsole I I and the other being provided in the outsole IEl.

Adapted to be embedded in the heel I2, which is of the molded type madefrom plastic composition, is a two-part housing, which parts I9 and 20thereof are separably intertted with each other at the formations 2| and22, respectively. These formations 2| and 22 create a slideway for a nut23 adapted for threaded connection with the screw I3. Ihese sectionsincluding the formations 2l and 22 of the housing conceal andconfine-the screw I3 andthe nut 23 when engaged with each other toeliminate any possibility of the plastic material when being molded forthe formation of the heel I2 from creeping into the said housing andmaking contact with the screw and nut or in any manner interferingtherewith which would make it diicult for adjustment of the heel I2 andthe fastening thereof onto the outsole I of the shoe as is clearlyisclosed in Figure 1 of the drawing.

The section I9 of the housing is formed with a double-armed bail 24depending from this section and retaining the section 20 in registerwith the said section I9 for assuring the intertting of these sectionswith each other and maintaining this intertted relationship when thehousing is embedded in the plastic substance when soft and at the timeof the molding of such material for the formation of the heel I2. Due tothe shape of the sections I9 and 20 with their formations 2| and 22 theheel I2 having the housing embedded therein Iis permitted to be adjustedin that the nut 23 is susceptible lof sliding movement in the formations2I and 22 while the sections I 9 and 2i) assure increased space foraccommodation of the screw I3.

The head I4 is slotted at 25 for accommodating an ordinary screw driveror a screw driverlike key for the convenient turning of the screw i3when in threaded engagement in the nut 23 and in this manner the heel I4can be separably coupled or secured in place at the heel area .of theshoe or fastened tightly against the outsole I@ at the said end area ofthe shoe. The head III of the screw I3 is countersunk in the portion I`Iof the cap I6, being within the socket I5 in said portion Il' of thiscap when the heel has been secured to the shoe so that no discomfort tothe wearer will occur in the use of the shoe.

The structure hereinbefore set forth and disclosed or illustrated in thedrawing constitutes refinement in the subject matter of United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,140,422, issued December 13, 1938.

The heel I2 is susceptible of forward and backward movement to an extentgreater than sidewise movements thereof and this simplifies thefastening .of the heel I2 to the shoe.`

The housing with the nut loose therein becomes a permanent part of theheel at the time the same is molded and thus heels so equipped can beinterchanged in their use for the fastening of the same to a shoe andthis satisfies the requirements of the use of differently colored heelswith a single shoe or the substitution of one heel for another,particularly where a heel becomes unfit for use or damaged and thesubstitution can be made without requiring the services of a cobbler orother articer, which would be the case if nails or the like wereemployed for the fastening of the heel to the shoe.

The device or fastener assures a firm and secure placement of the heelupon the shoe and the ready and easy separation with dispatch of lthesaid heel from the shoe when the occasion requires in that aconventional Ascrew driver or the like is the only tool necessary forthe fastening or unfastening of the heel to or from the shoe.

The bail 24 in its association with the sections of the housing assuresa positive anchorage of the latter in the heel I2 and unitary therewith.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe, the combination of a sole provided in the heel areathereof with an aperture extending therethrough, a cap counterseated inthe heel area and having a countersunk socketed portion, a heel fittingsaid heel area of the said sole and having a housing embedded therein, aslideway formation in said housing, a nut loosely fitted in saidslideway formation, and a bolt in threaded engagement with said nut andhaving a head seated in the countersunk portion of the said cap for xingthe heel to the heel area of said sole.

2. In a shoe, the combination of a sole provided in the heel areathereof with an aperture extending therethrough, a cap counterseated inthe heel area and having a countersunk socketed portion, a heel fittingsaid heel area of the said sole and having a housing embedded therein, a,slideway formation in saidhousing, a nut loosely fitted in saidslideway formation, a bolt in threaded engagement with said nut andhaving a head seated in the countersunk portion of the said cap forfixing the -heel to the heel area of said sole, the said housing havingintertted separable sections, and aguide bail on one section for theother section of said housing.A

3. In a shoe, the combination of a'sole provided in the heel areathereof with an aperture extending therethrough, a cap counterseated inthe heel area and having a countersunk socketed portion, a heel fittingsaid heel area of the said sole and having a housing embedded therein, aslideway formation in said housing, a nut loosely fitted in saidslideway formation, a bolt in threaded engagement with said nut andhaving a head seated in the countersunk portion of the said cap forfixing the heel to the heel area of said sole, the said housing havingintertted separable sections, anda guide bail on one section for theother section of said housing, the said'nut being of a size for freemovement thereof in the slideway formation of the housing.

4. In a shoe, the combination of a sole provided in the heel areathereof with an aperture extending therethrough, a cap counterseated inthe heel area and having a countersunk socketed portion, a heel fittingsaid heel area .of the said sole and having a housing embedded therein,a slideway formation in said housing, a nut loosely fitted in saidslideway formation, a bolt in threaded engagement with said nut andhaving a head seated in the countersunk portion of the said cap forfixing the heel tothe heel area of said sole, the said housing havinginterfitted separable sections, and a guide bail on one section for theother section of said housing, `the said nut being of a size for freemovement thereof in the slideway formation of the housing, the saidhousing and slideway formations thereof being adapted to confine andconceal the said nut and screw when engaged with each other for thefastening of the heel to the sole.

' JULIUS FARINA.

